Supportive Communities

In Supportive Communities, the neighborhoods are safe, residents know one another and are involved in the community, and opportunities exist within the community for cultural expression and acceptance.

Social Connectedness

Social Connectedness in a community means that residents feel that they are part of a network of friends, family, and other neighbors, where trust, support, and social cohesion are abundant.

Social Connectedness & Latino Health

Social support and trust among community residents encourages health in many forms. Residents are more likely to be outdoors interacting with neighbors or walking in the community if they feel a connection to their neighbors. In communities where adults share close-knit relationships and serve as role models, youth may be less likely to engage in unhealthy behaviors such as smoking, using drugs, or engaging in gang-related behavior.

Resources

And neighborhood environmental factors— from economic opportunities to the physical environment to social connections among neighbors to supportive services—profoundly influence the health of residents. In 2007, we published Why Place Matters to examine how these environmental factors can be strengthened and enlivened to benefit the health of all communities. The report looked at the growing movement in California and around the nation to develop place-based solutions to place-based problems—particularly in low-income communities and communities of color, where residents are disproportionately burdened by harmful environmental factors and a long list of associated health risks.

The relationship between social cohesion and population health has intrigued many researchers in the past two decades, and many policymakers regard social cohesion as a solution to increasing health inequality and decline of civil culture.

About LCHC

Latino Coalition for a Healthy California (LCHC)—the only statewide organization with a specific emphasis on Latino health—was founded in 1992 by health care providers, consumers and advocates to impact Latino health by focusing on policy development, providing enhanced information, and community involvement.